P365 - 2014 - Day 235 - Cheers to 17 years

P365 - 2014 - Day 235 - Cheers to 17 years

We celebrated our anniversary a day early with a wonderful dinner together.  I can hardly believe that 17 years have gone by since we said I Do.  It seems like only yesterday..... There is no one else I would rather be on this journey with besides this guy.  He is quite simply my best friend....I love him beyond measure and words.  Cheers to 17 years and here's to many, many more!!  Happy Anniversary! xo

You're my peace of mind

In this crazy world

You're everything I tried to find

Your love is a pearl

You're my Mona Lisa

You're my rainbow skies

And my only prayer is that you realize

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

The world will turn

And the seasons will change

And all the lessons we will learn

Will be beautiful and strange

We'll have our fill of tears

Our share of sighs

My only prayer is that you realize

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be beautiful in my eyes

And the passing years will show

That you will always grow

Ever more beautiful in my eyes

When there are lines upon my face

From a lifetime of smiles

When the time comes to embrace

For one long last while

We can laugh about

How time really flies

We won't say goodbye

'Cause true love never dies

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes

You will always be beautiful in my eyes

And the passing years will show

That you will always grow

Ever more beautiful in my eyes

The passing years will show

That you will always grow

Ever more beautiful in my eyes

-Joshua Kadison

*August 24, 1997*

P365 - 2014 - Day 234 - he wanted to be the picture of the day

P365 - 2014 - Day 234 - he wanted to be the picture of the day

As the hours were winding down in the day, I said to My Wonderful Husband... "Oh I never got a picture today..."  At that, The Pooch reached his head up to me and posed.  I guess he wanted to be the picture of the day.  ;-)  Ok, you got it.  May I present... the tired Pooch.  haha

P365 - 2014 - Day 233 - time with my boys

P365 - 2014 - Day 233 - time with my boys

While The Princess was at a friend's birthday party, I took the boys out to the movies and dinner before soccer practice.  It was a fun afternoon watching The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 3D.  But more than the movie and the pizza, it was nice to spend some time with my boys and watch them have fun spending time together.  xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 232 - Life really is swell....

P365 - 2014 - Day 232 - Life really is swell....

My Wonderful Husband went back to work for pre-semester meetings and the arrival of the incoming freshmen.  While I was sitting on the beach looking at the ocean and watching the kids and staying firm in my denial of the imminent start of the school year, he was sitting in his new office looking out a view of a different body of water with a reminder of home on his desk.  Life really is swell..... xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 231 - while it lasts

P365 - 2014 - Day 231 - while it lasts

Our summer days are winding down.  My Wonderful Husband is moments from heading back to the fall semester, the kids are a few more moments from the start of a new school year, and I am grasping for the last moments with all I've got.  Where did the summer go?  I am still slightly in denial that the warm, carefree days of summer are almost over.  I am blissfully ignoring the fact that before I know it I will be making lunches and rushing kids around.  I am pretending that the crazy commute for My Wonderful Husband is not on the horizon and not thinking about the hours of back and forth driving for travel soccer.  Instead I am thinking that it is still summer....there are moments left...the sun is still shining, and on this day we were all on the beach together enjoying it.  I am not thinking about the fact that the reports for the upcoming winter are too closely resembling the arctic temperatures of last winter.  Instead I am turning my face to the sun, breathing in the salt air, and enjoying the rest of the summer while it lasts.

P365 - 2014 - Day 230 - soaking up

P365 - 2014 - Day 230 - soaking up

The boys had fun boogie boarding today.  Waves and boards crashing, lots of laughing, and soaking up the last couple of weeks of summer....where did it go?

P365 - 2014 - Day 229 - pretty soccer

P365 - 2014 - Day 229 - pretty soccer

The second day of the Marlton Tournament was just as good as the first.  The Gunners won the first game of the day with The Bear scoring one goal and assisting on a final goal of the game.  They won the game 4-2  This win sent them to the Championship game which they also won 4-1.  The Bear scored a hat trick in the Championship game!  It was a great tournament and lots of fun to watch the boys play some pretty soccer.

P365 - 2014 - Day 228 - Five total goals and a hat trick!

P365 - 2014 - Day 228 - Five total goals and a hat trick!

The Bear had his first tournament with his new team this weekend.  Today was the first day of games.  He was all set to leave bright and early this morning - chomping at the bit to get on the pitch and play and it showed!  He scored two goals in the first game and had two assists helping his team win 7-0 and he scored a hat trick in the second game giving his team a 3-1 lead and win.  Five total goals with a hat trick!  I am so super proud of his dedication and hard work...but the best part was that he played with absolute joy for the game.  xo

P365 - 2014 - Day 227 - first visit

P365 - 2014 - Day 227 - first visit

We made our first visit to the orthodontist.  Just an evaluation - we go back in 6 months.... oh boy.

P365 - 2014 - Day 226 - on this day and in this car

P365 - 2014 - Day 226 - on this day and in this car

After the beach, The Boy left for dinner and practice with his friend.  The Princess had practice later so we met them there.  While he had dinner out, I made these two their favorite clam sauce for dinner (not a fav of The Boy) and we had some laughs in the car on the way there (evidenced by the car selfie The Princess took).  There was a moment in the car singing and laughing with these two that I was struck by how big they are getting.  Gone are the carseats and crying....gone are the Disney songs on the radio...instead we have real conversations and sing bad pop songs together.  I have been known to mention on a few (ok several) occasions lately that I am not completely fond of this age.  Now don't get me wrong, I love my kids always.... but there are days when I don't always like the way they act...smart tones, answers for everything, and they have even perfected the eye roll.  But on this day and in this car, there was none of that.  I had the pleasure of hearing "tone free" speech and real belly laughs - for the 25 minutes in the car both were in a good mood and no one argued.  We talked and laughed and sang... and for just a moment when we reached our destination I wished the trip had taken longer...that we had more time in that bubble of good moods and laughter.  For as much as this age can be a challenge, I wanted to just freeze this moment and this age so I could visit it whenever I want.  Because I know all to well how fleeting the moments are and how quickly they grow and move on to the next age...  before I know it they'll be driving me!

P365 - 2014 - Day 225 - big breakfast

P365 - 2014 - Day 225 - big breakfast

It was an interesting night for a sleepover....there was no worries I the kids keeping me awake because the major storm already took care of that.   The rain... the wind...oh my....  we were all a little exhausted in the morning.  I made the kids a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon and all was right with the world.

P365 - 2014 - Day 224 - 5 kids

P365 - 2014 - Day 224 - 5 kids

From brownie sundaes to video games to "challenges" involving mustard.... this is what sleepovers look like.  5 kids in the house tonight... hope we get some sleep.  ;-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 223 - great time

P365 - 2014 - Day 223 - great time

The Princess went to a friend's house and had a ton of fun playing in the lagoon and bay.  They went for a kayak ride and jumped around on the trampoline.  She had a great time and it was so nice to get this picture sent to me.  Gotta love smart phones. ;-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 222 - littlest surf rat

P365 - 2014 -  Day 222 - littlest surf rat

That's my littlest surf rat...  He was out ripping it up today.  Hard to believe this is the same kid who wouldn't touch sand all those summers ago.... You would never know it now.  Floppy blond hair and board in hand he heads out to the water and looks every part the true surfer.

P365 - 2014 - Day 221 - beach walk

P365 - 2014 - Day 221 - beach walk

After a late night with friends, I was still up bright and early.  Unfortunately yoga on the beach was cancelled but I went for a beach walk with a friend and snapped this photo as I walked onto the beach.  I feel so lucky to be able to walk up the street and see this every day.

P365 - 2014 - Day 220 - Gala

P365 - 2014 - Day 220 - Gala

We all had a great time at the David's Dream and Believe Foundation 2014 Gala.  Great friends, food, drinks, games, and all for a wonderful cause.  I had so much fun with friends and I was so happy to be able to be a part of this night.  xoxo  I can't wait for next year's Gala!

P365 - 2014 - Day 219 - good buddies

P365 - 2014 - Day 219 - good buddies

The Bear's friend is moving on Sunday.  I know he is sad to see his friend go... in the short year that we have been here they have really become good buddies.  Hopefully distance won't change that and they can still be life long friends!  They enjoyed a great dinner out with his friend's family and probably stayed up all night last night being 11....  ;-)

P365 - 2014 - Day 218 - two besties

P365 - 2014 - Day 218 - two besties

After her friend left, The Princess texted me this photo and asked if it could be the picture of the day.  Two besties hanging out together...

P365 - 2014 - Day 217 - a workout

P365 - 2014 - Day 217 - a workout

These running shoes have been getting a workout this summer.  From my 125 mile challenge in June to starting to train for the LBI 18 mile in July.  I am in the third week of the training schedule and I am ready to put it out to the universe.... I AM running the 18 mile this year.  The kids may all be at soccer tournaments and I may not have a cheering section (unless I can recruit some....?) but I am doing it.  I think I can.... I think I can... ;)

P365 - 2014 - Day 216 - quit planning and just paint

P365 - 2014 - Day 216 - quit planning and just paint

For the extreme planner and over-thinker I tend to be I make myself laugh sometimes when I do things like this....  Let me start by saying that I have wanted to paint this hutch for YEARS and never tackled it.  Then last night I walked into a store that had some great paint on sale and, voila, this morning with an empty quiet house, I dismantled, unscrewed hinges and doorknobs and started painting.  Further proof that sometimes in life you just need to close your eyes and jump...or quit "planning" and just paint.  It is still slightly a work in progress.  I am waiting for it all to dry and then I need to seal it and put everything back together. But I was just excited to see this start coming together that I had to get a picture.  I loveeeeeee it!!!!

P365 - 2014 - Day 215 - belated and ... early... Happy Birthday to us!

P365 - 2014 - Day 215 - belated and ... early... Happy Birthday to us!

It was a rainy day at the beach... but it turned it pretty good.  I managed to "run between the rain drops" for my 7 mile run this morning and even though our beach plans fell through our friends still met us for dinner at the Old Causeway (which I have been wanting to try for months).  The kids all went with friends, so it was just the four of us out for dinner to celebrate my belated and my friend's early birthday.  It was great food with great friends!  Happy Birthday to us!

P365 - 2014 - Day 214 - under the weather

P365 - 2014 - Day 214 - under the weather

The Boy was feeling under the weather (and not such nice weather that it was...) so he and I missed the Coquina Jam.  The Bear and The Princess went down wit ha friend to work the Generation Dream table and watch the surfers.  The Boy rested in bed all day to sleep off the ick he was feeling.  I took the time to catch up on my book.

P365 - 2014 - Day 213 - water park

P365 - 2014 - Day 213 - water park

We met friends at the water park today for our school pass day.  The kids had a blast on the flowrider, the slides, the lazy river, and the mini golf course for hours while the moms got to hang out.  That is my kind of day at the water park.  I had a great time with these ladies and the kids are wiped out.  Great day!

P365 - 2014 - Day 212 - lemonade and a good book

P365 - 2014 - Day 212 - lemonade and a good book

This is what it looks like when we get back from the beach.... (when they are not arguing over who gets in the outside shower first that is..)  The Princess had practice so we headed back from the beach and I started dinner while they hung in the backyard waiting for their turn in the shower.  Some lemonade and a good book make the wait go faster.  :-)